The 2026 Cleveland Browns are heading into a season that looks different in just about every important way. New head coach Todd Monken is in for Kevin Stefanski.
The defense has to replace the impact of Myles Garrett after trading him to the Los Angeles Rams. There’s also a new defensive coordinator in place.
That much change naturally brings expectations with it, but the smartest approach is probably to keep those expectations grounded.
On offense, there’s reason to believe the group should be better than it was a year ago. Cleveland completely rebuilt the offensive line with versatility in mind, and rookie Spencer Fano is expected to be the long-awaited answer at left tackle. Parker Brailsford and Austin Barber could also find roles sooner than expected, while the veteran additions should help immediately.
The receiver room got a fresh look too. Rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston were brought in to add juice to a group that needed more quality and more upside. Monken’s scheme should also give the Browns a different kind of variety than they had under Stefanski.
But for all of that, the quarterback situation still hangs over everything.
Starting Deshaun Watson would be a tough sell for plenty of fans, especially since he hasn’t been available and, when he has played, he hasn’t looked anything like the version Cleveland would have hoped for. Shedeur Sanders brings upside, but questions remain about whether he has a real future with the team. Dillon Gabriel looks more like a backup than a long-term starter, and Taylen Green has the athletic tools but remains raw as a passer.
Because of that uncertainty, the Browns are likely to lean more on the quarterback run game. The passing game may not be strong enough to keep defenses honest right away, which could lead opponents to crowd the box and force Cleveland to run until teams have to respect the air attack.
There is still blue chip talent here. This offense just doesn’t have a clean answer at quarterback, and that keeps a lid on how high the ceiling can go. The group should avoid being one of the league’s worst units, but it’s hard to call it anything more than middle ground with real upside.
The defense lost a huge piece in Garrett, and that’s the kind of departure any unit feels. He was a major reason the Browns were so dominant, and his presence made life easier for the players around him, especially up front.
Even so, this defense still has a chance to land inside the top 10. It won’t be as overwhelming as last season, but it should still be good enough to keep Cleveland in games.
Jared Verse, acquired in the Garrett deal, won’t replace Garrett, but he is viewed as a top 15 edge rusher. Mason Graham flashed plenty of promise in the second half of last season, and linebacker Carson Schwesinger is positioned to build on what he did a year ago.
The secondary also has key pieces in Denzel Ward and Grant Delpit, while rookie Emmanuel McNeil Warren adds versatility to the group.
There’s also a change at coordinator, with Mike Rutenberg taking over for Jim Schwartz. That should bring more scheme flexibility and versatility, even if it comes with some uncertainty. Schwartz did solid work in Cleveland, but the scheme could get predictable at times, especially against sharper offensive minds.
The likely result is some drop-off on defense, just not the dramatic fall some fans may be expecting. This is still a talented group, just one operating under a different system and without Garrett’s gravity.
So what should the overall bar be for the Browns in 2026? Lower than last year, maybe, but that doesn’t mean it should be low.
The roster is improved, even with the rebuilding label and the quarterback uncertainty dragging down the outlook. That may frustrate some fans, and plenty of them already seem checked out after so much losing.
It’s hard to argue with that reaction, even if the team does have pieces worth building around. Watson was an unpopular choice, but the source material frames it as the right one at the time.
At the top end, this team could win six to eight games. Five feels like a fair projection. More likely than not, though, the Browns are looking at a season that ends with a top-five pick and a chance to land their franchise quarterback.
In Other News...
Shedeur Sanders Browns Store Surprise Sparked Instant Fan Speculation
For a brief stretch, Browns fans shopping the teams official online store saw Shedeur Sanders jerseys marked down at a steep discount, and that was all it took to set off a fresh wave of speculation on social media. In a sport where every small detail gets read like a clue, a sudden price change on a players jersey can feel a lot bigger than a routine sale.
The discount did not last long, and the price quickly returned to normal. There has been no official indication of any roster move involving Sanders, who remains with Cleveland and is expected to be available as a backup quarterback, even as fans continue to watch for any hint of what might come next. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Fans Have One Big Reason To Buy Into Todd Monken
Todd Monkens arrival gives the Browns something they have been missing for a while: an offensive mind with a track record of shaping his approach to fit the players in front of him. That matters in Cleveland, where the quarterback picture remains unsettled but the roster does include a collection of young skill players who could benefit from a coach willing to tailor the system instead of forcing one style on everyone. Liam Coens praise of Monken only adds to the sense that his influence stretches well beyond his own sideline.
For Browns fans, the appeal is less about a slogan and more about the possibility that Monken can build something workable even while the most important position is still in flux. His history across different stops suggests adaptability, and that kind of flexibility can buy a coaching staff time while young players develop and the offense sorts itself out. In a season where stability feels hard to find, that alone gives Cleveland a reason to be intrigued. [Read more 🡒]
Why Browns Are Still Betting Everything On Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson is still set to open the season as the Browns starting quarterback even though he has not played in 22 months, a decision that says plenty about how Cleveland sees the next stretch of its future. The team has added three quarterbacks in the draft recently, but the plan remains centered on Watson, whose arrival has kept the organization tied to a high-stakes bet that has not yet been answered on the field.
Watson has framed the season as a defining one for him, and he has drawn a parallel to Todd Monken, who is in his first NFL head coaching season at age 60 and working under a five-year contract. For both men, there is a sense that this year carries real career weight, and in Watsons case the timing adds another layer, since his contract situation points to 2026 as likely his final season in Cleveland. [Read more 🡒]